Smoked Beef Tongue

Beef tongue is one of those cuts that tells you exactly how much people trust the cook.

Set the whole thing on the table and somebody will start making excuses about already eating. Simmer it until tender, peel it, give it an hour over wood smoke, and chop it into tacos? Suddenly everyone wants seconds.

This smoked beef tongue recipe gives you two completely different meals from the same cook. One tongue stays mostly unglazed and gets chopped for beef tongue tacos with avocado salsa verde. The other gets coated in a spicy, beer-based barbecue glaze and sliced for sandwiches.

The first part of the process draws from the way lengua de res is commonly prepared for tacos: slowly simmering the tongue with onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt until the tough muscle becomes tender. The Weber kettle then takes it in a different direction by adding smoke and, for one of the tongues, a sticky barbecue glaze.

It is one part lengua taco, one part backyard barbecue, and a good way to introduce people to beef tongue without dropping the whole damn thing on their plate.

What Does Beef Tongue Taste Like?

Despite its appearance, beef tongue does not have an unusual or gamey flavor.

It tastes intensely beefy and rich, with a texture somewhere between pot roast and tender brisket when properly cooked. The tongue contains a lot of connective tissue, which is why it needs a long, gentle simmer before it reaches the smoker.

Once tender and peeled, it looks far less intimidating. Chopped beef tongue works especially well in tacos because the small pieces develop browned, smoky edges while remaining rich and tender inside.

How to Prepare Beef Tongue

Rinse the tongues thoroughly under cold water before placing them in a large stockpot.

Add enough water to cover them completely, along with kosher salt, onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a boil, skim away any foam that rises to the surface, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

You are not trying to violently boil the tongues for two hours. A slow simmer tenderizes them without unnecessarily beating the outside of the meat apart.

Keep the pot partially covered and add additional hot water if the tongues begin rising above the cooking liquid.

How Long to Boil Beef Tongue

Two average beef tongues generally need about 2 to 2½ hours at a gentle simmer.

Very large tongues may take closer to 3 hours. Cooking time is only a guideline because the thickness of the tongues matters more than the number on the clock.

The thickest portion should feel tender when pierced with a thin knife, skewer, or temperature probe. You should feel very little resistance.

If you check the internal temperature, tender beef tongue will often be somewhere around 195°F to 205°F. Tenderness remains the more important test.

How to Peel Beef Tongue

Let the cooked tongues cool just long enough that you can safely handle them but they actually peel better when hot.

Do not refrigerate them before peeling. The thick outer skin is considerably easier to remove while the tongue is still warm.

Make a shallow lengthwise cut through the outer skin without cutting deeply into the meat. Pull the skin away in large sections, using a small knife only where it refuses to release.

Remove any loose fatty tissue or rough pieces from the underside, but do not aggressively trim away the good meat.

Reserve some of the simmering liquid before draining the pot. It will be used to spritz the tongues while they smoke.

Smoked Beef Tongue on a Weber Kettle

Set up the Weber kettle for two-zone cooking with the charcoal banked on one side and an indirect cooking area on the other.

Bring the kettle to approximately 275°F to 300°F. Add two or three chunks of smoking wood to the charcoal. Post oak works particularly well, although applewood provides a milder smoke and mesquite gives the beef a much stronger flavor.

Place the peeled tongues on the indirect side of the grill and close the lid with the top vent positioned over the meat.

Smoke the tongues for approximately 1 hour. Spritz them lightly with the reserved cooking liquid whenever the surface begins looking dry.

The tongues are already tender and fully cooked at this point. This stage is about adding smoke and developing color rather than continuing to tenderize them.

The BBQ Tongue Glaze

The barbecue glaze is built from ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, brown sugar, dark Mexican beer, chile de árbol, chipotle, cayenne, and a few dashes of hot sauce.

It is sweet, tangy, spicy, and strong enough to stand up to the richness of the tongue.

Whisk everything together before pouring it into a lightly oiled saucepan. Simmer the glaze for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beer has reduced and the sauce is thick enough to cling to the meat.

Taste the sauce after it reduces before adding additional salt. The Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ketchup, and hot sauce already contribute plenty of seasoning.

I use ground chile de árbol to give the sauce a direct, earthy heat. You can find the ground chile de árbol used in this recipe on Amazon.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Beef Tongue Tacos with Avocado Salsa Verde

Leave one tongue unglazed for the tacos.

After smoking, wrap it loosely in foil and let it rest for approximately 15 minutes. Chop the meat into small pieces and pile it into warm corn tortillas.

The avocado salsa verde combines roasted tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, garlic, avocado, and kosher salt. The tomatillos bring acidity, the roasted peppers add heat, and the avocado gives the salsa a thick, creamy texture without turning it into guacamole.

Six jalapeños make a noticeably hot salsa. Reduce the amount, remove the seeds, or replace some of the peppers with milder green chiles when cooking for people who do not want much heat. Add a serrano when you want the salsa hotter.

A squeeze of lime is optional, but it helps when the tomatillos are especially mild or the avocado is particularly rich.

BBQ Beef Tongue Sandwiches

After the tongues have smoked for approximately 1 hour, coat the second tongue generously with the barbecue glaze.

Close the kettle and cook for another 15 minutes, giving the sauce enough time to tighten and adhere to the surface. Add another thin coat during the final few minutes when you want a heavier glaze.

Rest the tongue briefly before slicing it across the grain.

Pile the slices onto a sandwich roll with thinly sliced onions and additional sauce. You can also serve the glazed tongue without a bun, although a soft roll does a fine job of catching the sauce and balancing the richness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you peel beef tongue before cooking?

No. Simmer the tongue with the outer skin attached, then peel it while it is still warm. The skin is considerably harder to remove from a raw tongue.

How long does beef tongue take to cook?

An average beef tongue generally takes 2 to 2½ hours at a gentle simmer. Very large tongues may require closer to 3 hours.

How do you know when beef tongue is done?

Insert a thin knife, skewer, or temperature probe into the thickest section. It should slide in with little resistance. Beef tongue must become probe-tender before it is peeled and smoked.

Why boil beef tongue before smoking it?

Simmering breaks down the connective tissue and tenderizes the meat. Smoking a raw tongue from beginning to end can dry out the exterior before the center becomes tender.

What wood is best for smoked beef tongue?

Post oak gives the tongue a balanced Texas-style smoke flavor. Applewood is milder, while mesquite provides a much stronger flavor and should be used sparingly.

Can you make beef tongue tacos ahead of time?

Yes. Cook, peel, and refrigerate the tongues for up to three days. Reheat them gently before smoking or finishing on the grill. They may require slightly longer over indirect heat when starting cold.

What can you make with leftover beef tongue?

Use leftover tongue in tacos, quesadillas, rice bowls, breakfast hash, scrambled eggs, tortas, or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Final Thoughts

The appearance of beef tongue scares more people than its flavor ever will.

Underneath that outer skin is a deeply beefy cut that becomes exceptionally tender when it is given enough time. Simmer it first, peel it while it is warm, and let the smoke add flavor without trying to cook the life out of it.

Chop one tongue for tacos de lengua with avocado salsa verde. Glaze the other and slice it for barbecue sandwiches.

Anyone still complaining after that was never going to eat the damn thing anyway.